Chapter 24: Chapter 24

Steve walked sluggishly toward the door as the bell rang loudly.

He unlocked it and opened revealing Kapella.

"What did you buy?". He said after seeing the two bags she held.

"You would love it".

"Don't kill me with suspense". He said.

"It's just cloth Steve, I want to update my wardrobe".

"Hush!". He cursed and collapsed on the couch.

"You can't even help me".

"Do I get to wear them with you?" ". He asked.

She scoffed and climbed up the stairs.

She got into her room and collapsed on her bed with the bags.

" Hectic hectic day ". She said.

There was a knock on the door and she groaned.

" Let me be Steve ". She said and the door pushed.

Mrs. Elijah entered and sat on the bed.

"Oh, Mom".

"How was school?".

"Fine. It was fine". She said with a gloomy voice.

"I hope you didn't take the bracelet off". She asked.

"Mom I......".

"Don't lie Kapella I know you took it off".

"Do you now read minds?". Kapella asked.

"Maybe I just know my daughter well enough".

"Mom, I meet a Mermaid like me". She said and Mrs. Elijah's eyes popped out.

"What?".

"She was wounded and needed help".

"You ain't good at making jokes daughter".

"Am serious mom, my bracelet was glowing so I took it off and I could feel her and could hear her voice in my head asking me to help".

"Did you?".

"She vanished mysteriously".

Mrs. Elijah exhaled and placed her hand on her shoulder.

"I know you want to be with your kind but you must avoid them".

"Mom? Seriously?, I get to meet my kind and.. Oh my God, it's so ridiculous".

"Not all Mermaids are good, Mermaids get drawn to wherever their kinds are and if you really saw a Mermaid, others might move into the City".

"So you're asking me to avoid the people who could make me know who more about myself?".

"You know who you are already Daughter, whenever you take the bracelet off everything within your ability comes flowing through your head".

"I know that already Mom but I want to know what's like to be a Mermaid, to have and speak to people like me".

"I know I can't stop your decision, you always do what you wish but just be careful". Mrs. Elijah said and rose.

"You're a special Mermaid daughter even if you befriend them, don't let them know your Mermaid form or see your tears without the bracelet, it's diamond".

"What? Diamond?". She asked.

"Yes, Your kind have been hunted for centuries now, your mother who was the last of the Arctic sacrificed herself to save your life, now you're the last of the special kind, do you have any idea what it means to have diamond tears, people would do anything just to get you, that's why am trying to protect you, the moment it leaks that there's an Arctic Mermaid in this city, it'll be flooded with hunters ". Mrs. Elijah said and her phone buzzed.

" I guess we have to cut it here, hello dear ".

..

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NEXT_DAY

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..

A yellow Cab halt in front of Cindy's home and Kapella got down.

It was morning but it was still dark as it was 5 am.

Kapella knocked on the door and waited but there was no response.

She knocked again and a voice came through.

"For heaven's sake, it's 5 am". Francis's voice roared and the door pulled open.

"Gosh! Kapella what the hell are you doing here?". He asked bare chest as he leaned against the doorpost.

"Would you let me in?". She asked.

"A moment of staring at my chest should do". He said and he bit his lower lip.

She placed her hand on his chest and pushed him away.

"If you think your tiny chest would cause me to trip then you're totally wrong". She cursed and head for the stairs.

"You don't do boys?". He asked and she paused holding the staircase.

"Then you do girls right, like my sister, you broke up with her and she's been crying all night and you're here to make up for it". He said and she turned back slowly.

"The next time you say that shit, I'll make sure I slap you harder than Cindy did".

"Slap my ass instead".

She shook her head and climbed up the scene.

"If you want me to join you girls, I'm available". He said loudly.

Kapella pushed the door of Cindy's room open and entered.

She was still fast asleep under the duvet.

She dropped her bag on the table and joined her under the duvet.

Cindy woke as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

She yawned loudly and her eyes blinked open.

"If you don't get your hands off me Francis I'll grab a knife right away and stab your pervert soul out of your body to meet Hades".She cursed and paused as Kapella held her tightly.

"I said.... !". She roared as she turned back but exhaled seeing Kapella.

"You scared me, what are you doing here?". She whispered.

"I came to apologize". She said and Cindy turned away.

"Am sorry Cindy".

"You shouldn't have come K ".

"I value our friendship Cindy and I'm not ready to lose it". Kapella said and held on to her tightly.

"It can never work with secrets, Kapella".

"I know Cindy, just give me time to take the courage and tell you, I don't have the courage yet".

"We're friends for years, what secret is so big that we haven't shared both dirty and clean".

"It's different ".

" I promise I'll tell you just give me time, please Cindy understand, you know I've never kept anything from you.

Cindy exhaled and held Kapella's hand.

"Alright.. Just Um be careful okay". Cindy said and she nodded.

...

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The Warehouse

..

...

Lovely could be seen hanging upside down to the ceiling as his body swing slowly.

Mrs. Arrowood walked with a knife and his eyes opened up.

It was completely red and filled with tears.

"I'm sorry Mom please stop the torment". An inaudible whisper escape from his lips.

She threw the knife and it cut the rope letting him crash weakly to the ground.

She placed a cup of water on his lips and he drank hurriedly.

"Now let's talk".

Lovely laid flat as he watched the gecko on the ceiling.

"You hang your son like some piece of shit for hours and the only thing you say is let's talk?". He asked.

"To be specific 14 hours, right from afternoon".

He tried to get up but his legs ached so badly.

"You can't walk yet".

"What if I had died!". He roared.

"Seems You're eager to continue your punishment".

"Continue?".

"Since you don't want to listen to me then that's the only option".

"Fine Mom I flopped, I'm sorry but don't forget that capturing three Mermaids out of ten was because I figured they were escaping".

"That's why I love you, son, you have the true hunter skill".

"Diaz has skills, Finn does, I don't know about Ashley, why don't you take them, why me always?". He cried.

"You should count yourself worthy to be next heir to take the Legacy of the Arrowood ".

" I'm not the first child Mom ".

" Dahlia is a female ".

"And what about Diaz, we have the same date of birth but we all know that isn't true, who's the second child?". Lovely asked.

"It ain't your business, it might be you and I just use that to put Diaz in line to hope of been the heir or its him, and I manipulated it because I loved you more, you don't know so keep it that way and have not learned not to object me yet?".

"Sorry, Mom".

"Who was that girl?".

"What?".

"We analyzed the motion of the tracker and it stopped at that boutique, you were close on it but you got distracted and gave an escape opportunity, I watched the footage over and over again, what girl could make you forget your mission?".

"She's nothing important Mom".

"The camera didn't catch her face but you know I can find her with my ways".

"Fine, just a puppet I want to toy with for a moment, that's all Mom".

"Funny that's what your brothers suggested also, so it's true but when did my son decide to have a woman, say less of a puppet". She said.

"Can't I try to be happy for once".

"My son has never had a thing for a woman for a few years now that's how I trained you to, Love pulls you back like it did today so as usual, we get to kill them from your lives".

"C'mon Mom it isn't Love, the last time I loved was four years ago, I've learned my lesson already, I'm a man mom, do you think I could abstain from girls forever?".

"if she's some puppet and no emotion attached, fine then but doesn't explain why you abandoned your mission? ".

" She was gonna follow me into that boutique and I can't let her see me do it ".

" Have you forgotten we're above the law, are you afraid of cops? ".

" No mom, I've wooed the girl and I'm this close to getting her, I can't ruin it, mom, when am done, you can have her I don't care ".

" No, No son, my bad and I apologize for that, you can have a girl as your puppet for whatever long but no emotions attached, you're the heir and when the right time comes we'll arrange your marriage ".

" Don't talk about marriage mom, I hate the word".

"Fine.. I wanted to ask what happened at the market but since you're back to default, I don't think it's necessary".

"Can I at least eat, I feel like dying"

"You'll get food son and I'll get the doctor to treat your legs but note this, the next time you flop or let emotions take you, I won't just hang you, I'll tie your hands behind you, and below will be hot coal that's gonna heat you up like it's lives depend on it ". She threatened and rose to her feet.

" Bring his meal! ".